Particulate amine-functionalized polyaryletherketone polymer and copolymers thereof

Abstract

Particles of an amine-functionalized polyaryletherketone polymer or copolymer thereof. The amine-functionalized polyaryletherketone polymer or copolymer thereof is selected from the group consisting of: polyaryletherketone polymer with terminal amine or protected amine functional group(s); polyaryletherketone-imide copoplymer with terminal amine or protected amine functional group(s); and polyaryletherketone-sulphone copolymer with terminal amine or protected amine functional group(s).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Particles of an amine-functionalised polyaryletherketone polymer or copolymer thereof, wherein said particles are spherical or substantially spherical in shape with an aspect ratio of about 1 to about 1.5,
 wherein said amine-functionalised polyaryletherketone polymer or copolymer thereof is selected from the group consisting of: polyaryletherketone polymer with terminal amine functional group(s); polyaryletherketone-imide copoplymer with terminal amine functional group(s); and polyaryletherketone-sulphone copolymer with terminal amine functional group(s). 
 
     
     
       2. The particles of  claim 1 , wherein said particles have an aspect ratio of about 1. 
     
     
       3. The particles of  claim 1 , wherein said polyaryletherketone polymer or copolymer has one or more of the following aryletherketone repeat units:
   —Ar—O—Ar—C(═O)—
 
   —Ar—O—Ar—C(═O)—Ar—C(═O)—
 
   —Ar—O—Ar—O—Ar—C(═O)—
 
   —Ar—O—Ar—O—Ar—C(═O)—Ar—C(═O)—
 
   —Ar—O—Ar—C(═O)—Ar—O—Ar—C(═O)—Ar—C(═O)—
 
 wherein each Ar is independently an aromatic moiety. 
 
     
     
       4. The particles according to  claim 3 , wherein each Ar is independently selected from mononuclear aromatic moieties and polynuclear aromatic moieties. 
     
     
       5. The particles according to  claim 3 , wherein Ar is phenylene. 
     
     
       6. The particles according to  claim 1 , wherein said copolymer comprises an aryletherketone repeat unit and one or more of the following repeat units: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       7. The particles according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer or copolymer is obtained by polymerizing one or more monomers in the presence of a capping agent comprising —NR 2 , —NRH or protected amine functional groups, where R is an aliphatic or aromatic group and the protected amine functional group is represented by —NHL where L is acetyl or haloacetyl, and
 wherein the monomers are selected from: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
     
     
       8. The particles according to  claim 7 , wherein the capping agent comprises the protected amine functional group —NHL and L is trifluoroacetyl. 
     
     
       9. The particles according to  claim 7 , wherein said polymer or copolymer is obtained by reacting the one or more monomers in a medium comprising:
 (i) the capping agent comprising —NR 2 , —NRH or protected amine functional groups; 
 (ii) a Lewis acid selected from aluminium trichloride, aluminium tribromide, antimony pentachloride, antimony pentafluoride, indium trichloride, gallium trichloride, boron trichloride, boron trifluoride, zinc chloride, ferric chloride, stannic chloride, titanium tetrachloride, and molybdenum pentachloride; and 
 (iii) a controlling agent selected from an aromatic carboxylic acid, an aromatic sulphonic acid, and a derivative thereof. 
 
     
     
       10. The particles according to  claim 1 , wherein said polymer or copolymer has the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       where E is an amine functional group, n=15 to 200. 
     
     
       11. The particles according to  claim 1 , wherein the particles have diameter of less than 75 μm. 
     
     
       12. The particles according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine-functionalised polyaryletherketone polymer or copolymer thereof is polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) or an imide- or sulphone-copolymer thereof having an —NH 2  end group and a ratio of tere- to iso-linked aromatic rings within the range of 100:0 to 60:40. 
     
     
       13. Particles of an amine-functionalised polyaryletherketone polymer or copolymer having the following structure: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where E is an amine functional group, n=15 to 200, and 
         wherein at least one of R 1  and R 3  is the branch unit: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       and
 the branched unit(s) is/are present in a molar percentage of 0.5% to 25%. 
 
     
     
       14. The particles according to  claim 13 , wherein said particles are spherical in shape with an aspect ratio (R) of about 1.